Introduction:

Decades of activism and research on prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) have made clear the imperative to go beyond the symptoms of GBV to address its root cause: gender inequality. When we address the systematic subordination of women within patriarchal power structures, it is critical to acknowledge the role men can—and must—play in creating inclusive environments. The culture of inclusivity can be institutionalized only when it is driven from the top.

Body:

Status of women in India:

• According to a 2018 World Bank report, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) among females in India was 26.97 LFPR female in 2018 in India. The world average stood at 48.47 percent in 2018.
• In India, the female demographic not just in the corner office but in the whole C-suite is only 5 to 10% (numbers vary depending on the survey).
• A whopping 30% of respondents in the 

• Grant Thornton’s Women in Business 2018 survey reported that they had no women in leadership roles.
• India has been ranked 108th in World Economic Forum (WEF) gender gap index. Gender gap was measured across four key pillars — economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment, and health and survival.
• As per Census 2011, the ratio of female youth literacy rate to male youth literacy rate is 0.91 at all India level.
• According to data released by Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU), India ranks 115 in the World for proportion of National Parliament seats held by Women.

Need for gender friendly policies:

• To Rule out under-employment and unemployment
  • Around 50 per cent of the world population consists of the women population.
  • Unemployment of women and unequal opportunities in the places of work cause great problems around the world, because true potential is left from being harnessed.
• To realise the advantageous prospect of women over men
  • Certain jobs in fact can’t reach up to their best capacities without the participation of women.
  • It is the very sentiment of nurturing, softness and warmth in some women that is necessary in fields like Non Governmental Organizations, Nursing, teaching and other similar sorts of jobs.
  • Along with the participation of men, female involvement is vital for the smooth functioning of the system in order to achieve the ideals they seek to achieve.
• A sustainable move:
  • Empowered women make invaluable contribution to the improvement of health conditions and educational status and productivity of whole families and communities, which in turn improve prospects for the next generation.
  • It has been found in various studies conducted by the World Bank, ADB and other renowned research organisations that, educated female-headed households do much better in the provision of health and education of the children at home.
• Having a diverse, inclusive culture means creating an environment where people can feel free to be their authentic selves at work
• A storehouse of immense talent
  • Women empowerment is essential today because earlier, women were not allowed to receive higher education, the society was backward and the times were different.
  • But now the times have changed. Women take up the same responsibilities as men and do a wonderful job in showcasing their talents when given an opportunity to.
  • It is necessary that they are given a chance to compete on the same level as men only to be able to benefit the employment and job spheres of our country.

Importance of male sponsors in shaping the careers of women:

• Strong male sponsors are required at each level to drive the gender inclusivity agenda.
• At every fork in student life and early career, whenever the choice is between the status quo, or a tougher less trodden path, father or brother can urge a female on.
• Leadership positions, strategic selection of academic institutions, career choices, and even the life partner. The baton can be passed on to husband, who can sponsored career and partner all the tough choices one needs to make in the next phase of life.
• A woman can choose someone as a husband, who is both a partner and a sponsor, and champions their career unabashedly.
• Usually the top management layers are packed with men, it is no wonder that smart ambitious women see the impact successful male leaders as sponsors bring.
• In a patriarchal society like India, the resources are mostly with male, thus they become vital sponsors.

Conclusion:

There is inherent strength in a vibrant, diverse and inclusive workforce that challenges traditional structures and embraces new opportunities. There is a need for number of initiatives, programs and educational resources to build the leadership capability of our female leaders. These include mentoring and coaching, leadership development and networking opportunities.